How do you hold your bass when sitting?

Thanks for the tips. I might try the $25 office chair option and pull the back off before investing in a pricier drummers throne. Won’t look as cool and maybe not be quite as comfy, but if it does the job for me there are plenty of other places I can spend that extra cash rather then a throne. Thanks again!

I recently upgraded to a J bass which is much heavier than my old bass. It has me searching for a better shoulder strap and a better cushioned seat. Not only is it heavier, but the fact that I’m in love with it has me playing way more/longer than I was with my old bass. Good problems to have, but after buying the bass itself, funds are limited for new accessories…

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Mostly A, although I do have to say that my shoulder starts to hurt after a little while… (Has anybody got a little halp for me with that topic?.. ^^")

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Thanks for posting this @joergkutter. I’ve never been able to play sitting down but these options give me some ideas!

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Do you wear a strap while you are sitting? If not, I recommend it. If you are wearing a strap, which one is it? Basses are heavy, so you usually want a 3" - 4" padded strap. I have a Dunlop BMF strap and love it, but it costs almost as much as my bass. :yum:

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If you do a search of the forum for “shoulder”, you should get a number of hits from other threads in here that deal with shoulder issues/pain - you are definitely not alone!

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Yeah, it certainly isn’t very “rock’n’roll” :grin:

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+1 here… I’ve tried to play sitting down but it just doesn’t feel right no matter what position I have tried. However, I can and do play my guitars and banjo sitting down (and standing up) without any problems whatsoever.

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E definitely everything else just feels awkward

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D because I’m fluffylicious and can’t play it any other way

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I have the same “affliction” :+1:

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Holy… 0.o Well, then I think there I have my problem, my strap hasn’t nearly got as much quality… Thanks for the help! ^^"

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Very well, thank you for helping me! ;))

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Im pretty much a B sitting player. I have arms on my chair that get in the way of A (been meaning to buy a nice playing stool). I also have a “Dad Bod” gut that tends to push my bass into an awkward playing position :slight_smile:

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I use a Levis padded strap… very nice and for $19.99 its a good quality strap. VERY comfy

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/M26PDBLK--levys-m26pd-blk-top-grain-leather-guitar-strap-black

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I’ve been using aircell 3", which are good, but I think my next one is gonna be a GruvGear. These look hard to beat.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SoloStrapNEO4--gruv-gear-solostrap-neo-4-inch-wide-neoprene-guitar-strap

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I think that’s the on Josh uses now. They also have a two-strap harness one (the Duo) that is probably super comfy, but not very “rock-‘n’-roll”. I just like traditional leather ones. Did a two hour jam a few days ago and didn’t have any aches. Any of these sorts of straps made for heavy instruments should do though. I tried four different ones until I found what I liked though.

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I’m an A guy. That way it is not much difference from sitting or standing. When I am learning new songs or practicing technique I sit. When I am getting ready for a gig, I practice standing up for most of the time.

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Yes, drum thrones can be pricey, but they offer a great solution for playing bass in a sitting position. I was lucky… back in October I was in Guitar Center picking up an online order, and on my way to the counter, practically tripped over a nice, used drum throne for only $9.99! Needless to say, I snagged it. It needed a lot of cleaning up and some general maintenance, but it turned out to be a great stool for me.

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My wife has one of those saddle chair things for her nail tech stuff. I’ve sat on it some for bass. Seems to do the trick nicely too.

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I saw this thread sometime back, and I’ve been meaning to chime in for a while now. When I started, I had all kinds of problems with holding the bass, but in the end I ended up in Position “A” once I adjusted the strap properly. Looking at Josh, and other bass players, I found that my PJ will sit nicely on my right thigh with the neck out away from my body, so that the bass isn’t parallel to my shoulders, but at 35 degree angle more or less. So, now my left wrist doesn’t feel jammed when I fret. I suppose my middle aged eyes also have a role as well-- although as I get to know the fretboard better that’s less of a factor.

The question I have now is what do you guys sit on? I want a good stool, but I am afraid that that if I get something at GC for $14 with a cool logo on the seat, I’ll end up with some cheap Chinese made stool where the spot welds give out under my 6’2" 275 lb. frame. Any recommendations for a good stool?

Thanks,
Ken T.

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